Be Here Now! Installation

Status: Pilot Project (Completed)
Olympia, WA , Summer 2020

* Seeking 2021 Full Project Funding

Background: Bee Here Now is a dynamic art installation focused on bees and flowering plants in an urban environment and their interconnection with the human community.

Vision: You are walking in downtown Olympia Washington past the Olympia City Hall and Police Station. Across the street you see a 50 foot long by 10 foot high mural depicting bees, honeycomb, and flowers. You cross the street to read a display sign that informs you that on top of the roof of the building are two active beehives and a pollinator garden, as well as a rooftop mural designed to be seen from Olympia City Hall and Google Maps. You also Learn that this art project includes a 4 mile radius area from this epicenter. The bees in these hives will travel this area in search of nectar and honey and bring it back to their hives. These hives will therefore be a micro concentration of the plant community surrounding Olympia City Hall. The hives will be monitored and tested for different types of pollen as well as as pollutants such as herbicides and pesticides.

This is a pilot project with a focus on re-creating similar projects on the rooftops of City Halls across Washington State and potentially the world.

Around the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area you see small metallic yard signs with beautiful bee art that reads Bee Here Now. These signs are for the yards of people that are sponsoring this project within the 4 mile radius. Sponsorship can be as simple as planting pollinator friendly plants and making a pledge not to use herbicides and pesticides known to harm bees, as well as financial sponsorship.

This is a year long project including maintenance, monitoring and testing.